When Heath Webb was hired as the head coach of the Winder-Barrow High School football program he faced a true uphill climb.
The program has fallen upon very hard times and there were few, if any, indications that things could be turned around. Webb, however, welcomed that challenge.
In short order Webb rallied the community behind the program and guided the Bulldoggs to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons. However, each time WBHS was a No. 4 seed and faced more tall challenges in advancing in the postseason.
Webb stated numerous times while it was an accomplishment to make it to the playoffs, the goal had to be not only to qualify but to win and advance. In order to do that, the WBHS program realistically needed to finish higher than fourth in its region.
That goal happened in 2017 as the Bulldoggs finished the regular season 8-2 and would earn the No. 2 seed from Region 8-AAAAAA after a tie-breaker method was used. WBHS had earned the right to host a state playoff game and did so last Friday night against the Chattahoochee High School Cougars.
Despite not playing well the previous week against Dacula, the host Bulldoggs set the tone early against Chattahoochee. An interception return for a touchdown seemed to quickly take the wind out of the sails of the Cougars who never really got on track offensively. Of course, the tough WBHS defense had a lot to do with that.
It was the first home state playoff game played in Barrow County since 2009 when Apalachee High School made its postseason run and hosted three contests. For WBHS, it had been since 2003 when a state playoff game last took place inside W. Clair Harris Stadium.
As kickoff approached it was evident why being the home team is so important in postseason play. The WBHS bleachers were full of fans, who had eagerly looked forward to the game all week. Across the way, the Chattahoochee bleachers only had a few fans as the long drive no doubt kept many of their followers at home.
This was a night in which the Bulldoggs were not going to be denied. It was not going to be another case of qualifying for the playoffs and then making a first round exit.
Approximately 75 minutes before kickoff I sat inside the WBHS fieldhouse and talked with Coach Webb, who remained his always calm self despite the playoff game being less than an hour and a half away.
“You always want to be at home during the playoffs,” the coach said. “It keeps you on your same routine. You don’t have to worry about leaving early in the afternoon to try and beat Friday traffic. You get to do everything the way you would do it during the regular season.”
As it turned out the Chattahoochee players didn’t arrived at the stadium until shortly after 6 p.m. Webb wondered if traffic had been an issue for the opponent that night.
“That’s just something we didn’t have to worry about,” Webb said. “It’s a reward of finishing where we did in our region.”
This playoff game’s outcome was really determined by halftime.
The WBHS Bulldoggs had put forth perhaps their best effort of 2017 and are now in the second round. If the team can give that same level of effort this Friday then anything is possible.
The playoff win was a long time in the making and the fact that it took place inside historic W. Clair Harris Stadium only made it more enjoyable.
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Chris Bridges has covered high school football since 1988. He welcomes feedback about this column at pchrisbridges@gmail.com.

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